


I’ll Be Your Sea

by PlayingGod



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Basically, Fluff, I'll add more characters if I figure out where to add them into the story, JJ is the awful captain, M/M, Merman Victor, Pirate AU, Pirate Yuuri, Victor is a merman, Yuri is a pirate, and all that good stuff, featuring Otabek as Yuri's only somewhat friend, lots of fluff, mermaid au, merman au, or - Freeform, some tears, some violence, there's going to be adventure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 20:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9255476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlayingGod/pseuds/PlayingGod
Summary: Yuri Katsuki had always wanted to be a pirate, and now at the age of 23, he was. He never had much luck, so of course fate would have it that he would end up on Glacies, a strong pirate ship with the most obnoxious captain one could imagine.The days on the ship were pretty straightforward. A pirate’s life was not as exciting as he thought it was going to be when he was younger. He wondered if his whole was going to continue this way, unchanging. He wondered if he was always going to be a coward.Perhaps the stunning, ethereal creature with moonstone eyes will help him change.OrA pirate/mermaid (well, merman) AU where Yuri is a pirate on a ship with JJ as Captain, and they capture a beautiful merman who would sell for more gold than they would know what to do with. Except Yuri really doesn’t want to do that.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Glacies means Ice in Latin, tis the name of the ship.

☽ ✮ ☾

 

CHAPTER 1.

 

Living out in the oceans, the large bodies of water and infinite open space made it feel like you’re free – the distance seemed never ending, like there’s no possibility to hit a wall. You’re free to keep going forward for as long as you want.

 

The air smelt like salt.

 

Yuri wasn’t sure if he knew what freedom was. The position he was in – being a pirate and that – was something he had wanted. Did he want it like this? Not really.

 

It wasn’t always bad really, not until Jean Jacques Leroy came to appoint himself as captain. He wasn’t a bad captain, but if Yuri had to choose, he’d prefer to have a leader who had a bit more heart.

 

Captain JJ had brains, logic, and confidence. Most pirates would view him as the perfect captain – and most of the pirates on Glacies thought he was (by most, he meant all, except for himself.) He will do what he needs to bring in income, to provide his crew with food and weaponry and even entertainment. If it meant he had to kill, destroy and conquer to do it, then he would.

 

Yuri was naïve and he knew that. A pirate’s life isn’t like the Robin Hood life. They weren’t fighting for justice and helping the poor – they were just fighting. They were scoundrels who did whatever they needed to get by, having pledged their lives to the sea, to their ship and to their captain. He didn’t hate his captain _per se_. Sometimes he just wondered if there’s another way to go about the many things he has done.

 

Yuri sighed, taking a bite from the ripe red apple in his hand. The sun was beginning to rise, slowly eliminating the chill in the air that was lingering after the cold night. Every duty began early, especially for crewmembers like Yuri. He supposed his position in the ship was somewhere between a boatswain and a swabbie. He didn’t have nearly as enough authority as a boatswain did, but he was responsible and although it wasn’t always, the captain did sometimes ask him to take over those duties, which mainly consisted of inspecting every part of the ship that was essential for proper functioning, as well as checking the supply stores and then reporting back to the captain.

 

When he wasn’t doing that, his daily duties consisted of swabbing the very large deck. It was quite a humiliating task when you’re given boatswain duties, then being reduced back to being a swab, but Yuri knew why. Despite sometimes handing somewhat important duties over to Yuri, he knew the captain didn’t trust him much. It probably was because the captain wasn’t entirely oblivious – he could tell when someone disliked him. Although Yuri suspected that that just kind of inflated his ego and made him prouder, harsher, and more obnoxious. He was a man who loved to be hated.

 

Speaking of the devil, just as Yuri was on his way to storage to get out the mop and bucket, the captain himself strode past him with a smirk. He was about to say something, Yuri could tell, until a crewmember hurried over with a red, excited face, the look in his eyes crazed. He whispered something to the captain that Yuri couldn’t hear, but he assumed it was something impressive, if the widening of the captain’s eyes and insanely smug smirk was anything to go by. He patted the pirate on the back, whispering something that sounded a lot like ‘get the nets’. Yuri simply carried on with his duties.

 

He had just finished swabbing the starboard, when he noticed the commotion from the crew. During cleaning, the entire ship was somehow deadly silent, as if everyone was waiting for something – or trying to not scare anything away. Then suddenly, they all shouted at once, and he turned around and spotted several men dragging up a net from overboard. The more was revealed, the faster Yuri’s heart starting beating.

 

There was a panicked flurry of movement inside the net – Yuri caught glimpses of shining silver and sparkling blue – before the net was finally pulled over onboard. Yuri had to blink several times to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

 

Yuri wasn’t so much a skeptic as he was a realist. He wouldn’t ever say something definitely doesn’t exist, but he’ll believe it when he sees it. Mermaids of course, were part of that ideal. And there was one, right in front of him. Out of pure shock, he dropped the mop that was in his hands, the item clattering to the deck loudly. None of the crew members reacted, too absorbed into the excited atmosphere. However, the figure inside the net flinched, and suddenly Yuri was staring into the most stunning eyes he had ever seen.

 

He had only seen that sort of color once in his life; a few years back when they sailed to the Norwegian Sea, and came across a cold country called Norway. It was a beautiful place, but it wasn’t anything incredibly special. Until darkness approached, and Yuri’s eyes welcomed the most stunning sight he had ever seen.

 

‘Northern lights,’ he remembered a local telling him. Except what he remembered the most, was hearing about how the northern lights always glowed the loveliest shade of green. But that particular night, they were illuminated in a turquoise color that Yuri didn’t even know existed. It was the most brilliant blue that had a slight mix of green, and Yuri had never witnessed anything more beautiful in his life.

 

Until now.

 

His heart stuttered and then suddenly his lungs were aching, and he realized he was so in awe that he stopped breathing. The magnificent moonstone eyes were no longer connected with his; instead they were narrowed into a fierce glare, even if the entire body of the being was quivering with anxiety and fear.

 

A mermaid. There was a mermaid on the ship.

 

He slowly walked towards the rowdy group, towards the beautiful creature with long hair that looked like it was dripping silver. In a daze, he almost reached out to touch until the captain’s voice rang.

 

“ _Gentlemen_.” JJ sneered with a smug smirk. Suddenly all of the pirates realized they were crowding around the mermaid without letting the captain take a proper look, so they all got to their feet and sprung back immediately.

 

He approached the being that had now gone still.

 

“Well well well, aren’t you a catch,” JJ grinned, but the expression wasn’t friendly, “here I thought we had caught ourselves a lovely lady, but here is an even rarer gem. A male, you do not come across those very often.”

 

Yuri listened in shock. So the stunning mermaid was actually a merman. Yuri had never found himself attracted to a male before, but there’s a first for everything. The beautiful merman’s facial structure was so delicate, his eyelashes long and fluttery, his hair very long. He was a vision.

 

The captain crouched down in front of the merman, taking a hold of his chin through the net, “I know a place that will pay really good money for you.” He taunted, his eyes gleaming.

 

The longhaired beauty was still quivering in fear, but his eyes were sharp, fierce, unyielding; he was scared, but Yuri could tell he was not going to give up. He proved that by jerking his head away from the touch of the pirate captain. JJ was not affected, instead giving a laugh and standing back up.

 

“Get him out of the nets and tie up his hands. Be careful of that mouth, I hear mermaids bite,” JJ smirked at him, receiving a glare in reply, “Fill up the tank, and I will be assigning a watch duty schedule, you will all be taking turns to watch over our little goldfish here.” He spoke loudly, with his usual egotistical tone of voice and gesticulative motions.

 

With ice-cold eyes, he looked at the merman who stared back at him with wide moonstone orbs, “We set sail for Port Royal immediately.”

 

☽ ✮ ☾

 

Yuri didn’t see the merman again until late evening. After a few crewmembers dragged the beauty away, he was forced to go help with adjusting the sails for the change of direction. They would begin with travelling to South West towards their destination that was all the way across the North Atlantic Ocean. If the winds are on their side, they have around twenty-four or so days before they reach Port Royal.

 

They had set sail from a small Russian island called Kolguyev Island. There wasn’t much to it – Kolguyev was a wetland more than anything. It was not very suitable for growing much; it had a miniscule population of indigenous people, and they didn’t have much to offer apart from a small market that sold good fish and game meat. In most cases, the pirates wouldn’t offer to pay, their tactic was to take what they wanted and go. However, Yuri couldn’t bear to bring any misfortune on these people, and luckily the captain ordered everyone to take what they wanted only using money. It may be small, but the captain had a heart (even though he claimed these people to be beyond pitiful, and the captain was no scallywag.)

 

It was in the Barents Sea – in the Arctic Ocean – that they caught the beautiful merman. Yuri didn’t witness it himself, but he later found out that he was spotted by the crewmember that was up in the crow’s nest on watch duty, and he proceeded to inform the other mates stealthily. The merman must have been overcome with curiosity. It’s possible that he had not see a ship before – he did seem quite young – or perhaps he had, but had never been so close to one. In his head, Yuri silently wished that the merman had been quicker to get away.

 

No normal pirate would turn down the offer of riding on the wealthiest pirate ship in the land, and after the captain finds an owner for the merman, Yuri knew Glacies would definitely be the pirate ship of dreams. They would be rolling in gold. Mermaids were incredibly rare creatures to come by. A lot of people believed them to be only legends; only those wealthy enough to buy or even view one would believe they existed. Not many were caught around the World; because they usually had a tendency to steer very clear of humans. The ones who were curious enough to venture out into the danger zone had unfortunately paid the price.

 

Mermen though. Yuri had not heard a single story of anyone capturing a merman. The captain wasn’t kidding when he called him a rare gem, because he was more than a rarity. No doubt he would sell for an incredible amount, an amount that would allow the captain to get himself ten more ships, triple the size of the crew, and have enough left over to ensure the lives of his crew to be comfortable until their dying days. No normal pirate would turn down that sort of idea.

 

Yuri supposed he was simply not a normal pirate.

 

He couldn’t stop thinking about the merman, about his stunning moonstone eyes that were riddled with fear and anger, his long tail that matched the color of those eyes. Yuri blushed as he put his hand on his chest, feeling his heart racing. Indeed, he had never in his life come across someone so beautiful.

 

He was called out by the captain, who gave him orders to watch over the merman for the next several hours until there’s another shift rotation.

 

The room he was kept in was very plain, it didn’t contain more than the glass tank that the merman was kept in. The tank had a lid but it wasn’t locked, because the merman would have no way of escaping the ship even if he escaped the tank, and the captain knew that he knew it. Yuri couldn’t help but think keeping it unlocked was just an extra step of cruelty, like taunting the beauty with wishes of freedom but no way to reach it.

 

He changed shifts with a pirate named Asahi Ren. He was easily one of Yuri’s least favorite people on the ship, apart from the captain. He wasn’t enjoyable company, and Yuri guessed that the merman had probably gathered the same idea judging from the sour look on his face as the other pirate got up to leave but not before throwing a wink to the captured mer. Then again, he didn’t have any reason not to have a sour look on his face.

 

“Have fun with that one, he’s feisty,” Asahi smirked at Yuri then at the merman before walking out.

 

When the door closed, Yuri suddenly realized this was his first time alone with the beautiful merman, whose attention was now on him, causing him to flush.

 

Yuri approached the tank slowly, not wanting to apprehend the merman in any way. The bright sea blue eyes watched him intensely. He wasn’t sure what to do at this point. He knew nothing about mer people, whether they understood human languages, whether they even spoke, or whether he could even hear him from inside the glass tank. When Yuri pushed the nearby stool closer, causing it to screech against the hardwood floor, the merman flinched from the sound, so he supposed there was his first answer.

 

He sat down awkwardly, playing with his fingers. The merman continued watching him, now looking more curious than angry.

 

“Um, hi.” Yuri spoke quietly, giving a tiny wave. He received a blink and an unchanging expression.

 

“I-uh, sorry I guess, about the guy who was in here before me. He’s.. an acquired taste..” he trailed off, still not receiving any reaction other than a raised eyebrow and upset, narrowed eyes.

 

Yuri’s shoulders slumped, and he pushed his stool closer to the glass. The merman flinched, backing away from the glass. It was a sad sight to see, someone so beautiful being so afraid.

 

“Moonstone…” Yuri whispered with a forlorn expression, pressing a hand against the glass, “I’m sorry this happened to you…”

 

‘Moonstone’, as Yuri decided to call him, reacted to that finally, with wide shocked eyes. Yuri wondered if he really could understand him. Many emotions flashed on his face. For a second it seemed like he wanted to cry, his brow furrowed sadly and his lip quivered. He looked like he wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth it was as if he realized where he was, and the resentfulness was back in his eyes. Not that Yuri could blame him.

 

Before he could say anything else, he noticed a little area in the water that was pink. The pink turned darker when he looked closer and realized it was coming from Moonstone’s arm. On his smooth pale skin, there was a rough looking gash that was still bleeding.

 

“You’re hurt!” Yuri gasped, flailing his hands around, “I need to- we need to- wait one second!” He turned around to leave the room to get something to fix the wound with, when he realized he wasn’t allowed to leave the merman unattended.

 

He turned back around, scratching his head with an apologetic look. Moonstone was still staring at him wearily. Yuri sighs, when suddenly he remembers the small blue scarf around his neck. He takes it off, walking towards the glass tank.

 

“Here we can use this to fix you up!”

 

When Yuri reached for the lid to open it up, the merman recoiled instantly, pushing himself into the very corner of the tank. He was trembling but his eyes were like fire, and Yuri realized this is not going to be easy. He lifted his hands up in surrender.

 

“I’m sorry, I promise I have no intention of hurting you, I just want to help.”

 

He attempted to lift the lid again slowly as to not startle the merman, but despite his best efforts, nor his movements or his words changed anything. Moonstone was still cowering away. When Yuri reached a hand out, the merman swiped his hand forward threateningly and only then did Yuri notice that he actually had quite long, claw-like nails.

 

“Please? I just want to help,” Yuri whispered soothingly, holding out the blue scarf. But the merman was unrelenting.

 

With a sigh, Yuri placed the lid back and took a seat on the stool again. He stared at Moonstone, who stared back with mildly relieved eyes, slowly making himself comfortable again instead of pressing his back into the glass corner.

 

The hours that Yuri spent with him went by silently. He tried to offer help again, he tried asking questions, but he received no response. The merman closed his eyes and seemed to be ignoring Yuri. Eventually, Yuri gave up with the questions and just watched the beauty in front of him. Like this, he looked so serene and peaceful, not like he was held captive by a ship full of pirates who intended to sell him to be someone’s showpiece, or worse.

 

There had been many horror stories of what humans do with creatures like mermaids. Some used them to make money by dragging them around the World to be viewed. Some abused them, some killed them out of revenge for sunken ships. But the worst stories Yuri had heard were those who used mermaids for sexual pleasure, or for scientific experimentation. Yuri couldn’t think of which fate sounded worse.

 

To think that this beauty is heading down that sort of path… Yuri felt sick. He clenched his fists, feeling more self-loathing than ever before. Looking up, he pressed a hang against the glass, though Moonstone didn’t react.

 

“If only I was stronger, if I could do something for you…”

 

Then he was staring back into those wild blue sparkling eyes. The merman looked shocked again for the second time. Yuri wondered if that’s because none of the pirates in here had treated him with even the tiniest bit of humanity.

 

The rest of the hours were spent in silence. Yuri couldn’t take his eyes off of the merman in front of him, who returned his stare for a little while, but then went back to closing his eyes and resting. His wound was still looking really raw and irritated, which worried Yuri, especially considering it has been over ten hours since he was captured, and if it was oozing blood this whole time then surely the merman must have been feeling the effects of blood loss.

 

‘ _Tomorrow, I’ll definitely get him to let me patch that up_ ,’ Yuri decided with determination while letting out a yawn.

 

“Katsuki.”

 

Yuri jumped, as did Moonstone, as neither of them seemed to have noticed someone entering the room. Yuri looked behind him and noticed another pirate, Otabek Altin.

 

“Ah, rotation?” Yuri asked, and Otabek nodded.

 

Otabek was the quiet type, and if Yuri had to choose, he was probably his favorite person on this ship, because he was the only one he actually somewhat got along with. But at the same time, Yuri knew nothing about him, because Otabek was not one for sharing much about himself. He had joined the ship shortly after Yuri, and he was yet to truly warm up to anyone.

 

But Yuri was glad it was him, because he knew Otabek was nothing like Asahi, he wouldn’t go out of his way to irritate or insult the merman. He hoped the merman would get several more hours of peace, before he had to come into contact with more annoying pirates, or worse – their captain.

 

Before leaving, Yuri glanced back at Moonstone. He bowed to him slightly, giving him what he hoped was a comforting smile. He turned around too quickly to notice the baffled look on the merman’s face.

 

☽ ✮ ☾

 

Morning arrived quickly since Yuri passed out the moment his head hit the pillow.

 

He hated the fact that there was no set rotation schedule yet, the captain just picked whoever he saw fit to watch the merman, therefore he had to idea when he would end up back in that room again. He wanted to see him again, to make sure he was okay, to help his wound, to talk to him. More than anything, he wanted to do something for the merman, before they reached Port Royal.

 

Yuri had always struggled with self-loathing, but he had never felt it stronger than he did right then; self-loathing at his weakness, inability to do anything meaningful, inability to help the merman. Truly, more than anything, he wanted to do something. But what could he do? He wasn’t strong enough to go up against his captain and crew. And he doubted he would see eye to eye with anyone about this situation. The pirates wanted money, and selling the merman would give them more than they would know what to do with.

 

What could Yuri possibly do by himself?

 

It was now later than when he was called the previous day, and he feared that he wouldn’t get to see Moonstone again today. Which turned out to be the case. He tossed and turned in bed, unable to relax his agitated mind. This situation would be a lot easier if he actually trusted more than just one person on the entire ship.

 

When the next morning came, he worried; about Moonstone’s injury, his mental state, whether anyone has done anything to him. If Yuri wasn’t able to see him again today, he didn’t think he could get to sleep. He already struggled last night due to not being able to see the merman for an entire twenty-four hours.

 

His work was sloppy at best as he tended to his duties, because concentration was not present. He was too distracted, _too worried_ , to be able to do much. The morning and afternoon flew by and it was evening, and there was no sign of anyone calling him for duty again.

 

When he dejectedly decided to retire for the day, he was called to rotate with another pirate.

 

“Sorry Katsuki, will you be able to handle an all-nighter? You’re the last one up, the captain told me to hand over watch duty for the night to whoever was still awake. No one will be able to switch with you till dawn…”

 

“No problem!” Yuri shouted enthusiastically, before realizing what he did, “uh- I mean, it can’t be helped right?”

 

They shared an awkward chuckle, the other pirate eyeing him with a look that screamed ‘what is wrong with you’ before he walked away, and Yuri bolted towards the room where Moonstone was.

 

He nearly ran over the pirate that was exiting the room after his watch, he apologized quickly before closing the door behind him and stepping towards the tank quickly.

 

Moonstone seemed actually surprised to see him – maybe even a bit relieved – as Yuri dragged the stool right up to the tank to take a seat.

 

“Hi,” Yuri panted slightly, out of breath from rushing over. The merman watched him silently as per usual. The only difference was that this time, he did not look as hostile as he did previously. Yuri hoped it was because the merman could tell that he had no ill intentions, because more than anything, Yuri wanted him to know that he didn’t view him as an object to sell.

 

“Um, how are you?” Yuri asked, “I wasn’t allowed to see you yesterday so I was worried, how is your wound? If you’d like, I’ll help?”

 

By now, Yuri realized that the merman could indeed understand him, as he looked down at his own arm and stretched it out a little bit, to show Yuri that the wound that was once there was now just a small scratch.

 

“Wow,” Yuri leaned in closer to see, “I’ve never seen a wound heal so fast, mer people are amazing aren’t they!” Yuri smiled brightly. Moonstone tilted his head slightly in response. He still looked very curious.

 

Yuri placed his hand against the glass, “So uh, does everyone treat you okay? I hope so, I hadn’t spoken to anyone so I don’t know, I-”

 

Yuri’s breath caught in his throat. Because where his hand was placed on the glass, another hand on the other side was placed against it. It looked so soft and pale, like snow, or flower petals. His eyes trailed the beautiful long fingers, to the hand and the lovely delicate wrists, to the soft yet strong looking arm, until his cinnamon eyes met moonstones.

 

The merman truly was ethereal. He kept looking into Yuri’s eyes, as if searching for something, and then he looked down at their hands that were almost connected, but were separated by a layer of thick glass.

 

Yuri couldn’t look away.

 

“Moonstone,” he whispered and watched as the merman almost leaned closer with glazed over eyes, like he wanted to hear what Yuri was going to say.

 

“I wish I could do something for you…”

 

Yuri didn’t know what he said wrong, but those words seemed to cause something inside Moonstone to snap, as he frowned and pulled his hand away. He looked at Yuri with the same look as he did in the beginning, eyes shining with fear, anger, frustration and betrayal.

 

The merman looked behind him longingly, and Yuri didn’t need to turn around to figure out that the merman was probably looking through the small window in the door that showed the outside, a small strip of the ocean being visible. Then looking back into Yuri’s eyes, he sneered and turned around, showing his back. At that point, Yuri felt like there was nothing he could say that would do anything, so he stayed silent.

**Author's Note:**

> FIRSTLY I'D LIKE TO MAKE A DISCLAIMER THAT I DO NOT HATE JJ. He's gonna be an asshole in this but that's because I felt that he had the suitable look for it. Personally JJ has always been one of my faves since he was introduced haha I could never hate him! Just in this story, he's gonna be a lil meanie captain.
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who read this (as well as everyone who read my cat AU, thank you to everyone who liked it). 
> 
> I have never written a pirate/mermaid AU and I wanted to give it a shot. I'm not sure yet how many chapters this is going to be, but I've got the plot figured out so hopefully I'll be able to finish this. 
> 
> How was it? Good? Bad? Mediocre? If you think it wasn't that great, please let me know why. I take writing really seriously and I really really want to improve to become as good as I can possibly be, and I feel like if people tell me what they think is missing, then I can work on those things and improve. So I'd appreciate constructive criticism greatly!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this. I have seen some incredible numbers in the YOI DVD sales, which means y'all we're 99% getting season 2, I AM SO READY.
> 
> Talk trash to me at katsu-yuri.tumblr.com. The story post is [here](http://katsu-yuri.tumblr.com/post/155592913405/ill-be-your-sea-by-playinggod-yuri-katsuki-had) and maybe even put together a playlist for this story, because I am THAT extra. 
> 
> THANKS FOR READING.


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